Intergenerational Teaching.pdf

The term “intergenerational” conjures up all kinds of meanings—and all kinds of misunderstandings.  Intergenerational does not mean “dumbing down material so that children can understand it but the adults are bored”.  But it also does not mean “teaching a normal adult class with the hope that the children present may gain a tidbit”.  Intergenerational teaching consciously takes into account that there are learners of different ages and experiences present in the classroom and seeks to teach the hearts of all.   Intergenerational teaching is teaching that is both beneficial to adults and children and because of the uniqueness of the situation even provides some opportunities for both generations to understand the material differently and benefit from a different perspective.  It is a unique opportunity for the young to learn from the old and the old to learn from the young.
 
In our experience, it is easy to understand how the young can learn from the old, but sometimes only seasoned teachers of children can understand how the old can learn from the young.  The “old” have maturity, rational thinking, abstract understanding on their side.  The young have black and white thinking, emotions, easy acceptance of truth, and freedom from conventional thinking grooves on their side.  The blending of these strengths can enhance the learning experience for all involved.
 
But this will not happen if adults do not respect what children have to offer them (or vice versa, which is not often the case).  It cannot happen if the teaching is so far above the children’s head that they cannot understand what is being taught.  And it cannot happen if children are not given the opportunity to react to what is being taught and to share their questions and insights.  Children often ask questions adults never think to ask.  They also often see a different perspective of an issue or a truth than the adult has considered.  But if the contributions of the children are not respected, this cannot happen.  This does not mean that children need to be catered to, but it does mean that they cannot be overlooked and should be intentionally included.
 
Some benefits to adults of intergenerational teaching:

• Often adults think they understand something when in fact the “understanding” is merely familiarity with the terms and concepts of something.  When they have to explain something to someone else, the adult realizes that in reality, he has little real understanding of the concept, inadequate understanding, or little support for the truth he is espousing.  Having to explain that truth to someone else (such as a child or an unbeliever) is an invaluable opportunity for an adult to measure his understanding or dig for answers to defend his unnderstanding.  You never know what you really know until you try to pass it on to someone else.  Sometimes just the struggle of having to articulate your understanding of truth can refine your understanding of truth.  
• Often adults will pass over the practical application of a truth unless challenged to think about what it means for their everyday lives.  We are so much more comfortable with theory than with the reality of application.  The reality of application is that we may have to change, to give up something, to submit, or to reevaluate riorities.  Often adults have learned to gloss over the uncomfortable application of scripture.  Children growing up in Christian homes begin to learn to do the same.  But to inquisitive, literal, young children, the truth and its
  application can be very blunt and obvious and unavoidable.  This is another wonderful way in which adults can be challenged by the faith of children.  
• Adults often do not know how to talk about spiritual truths with children; parents sometimes have difficulty engaging children in spiritual discussions.  A forum where that is modeled, encouraged, and mentored can be beneficial to those adults.  

Teaching an Intergenerational class is harder and requires more preparation than teaching a class of adults.  It requires more creativity as well.  If a purely lecture method is used, the children’s minds will wander and there will be little heart application.  (This may be true of some of the adults in the class as well!) Here are a few suggestions of how to modify your teaching to fit an intergenerational situation:

• Use a variety of teaching methods—some lecture is appropriate; but include other methods such as question/answer, demonstration, illustrations, role playing, testimonies, discussion, discovery  (i.e. looking up scripture passages and asking the learner to explain them; comparing two passages).   
• Be interactive with the learners—involve the class in looking up passages, rewording passages, asking them to compare things or to fill in charts, etc.
• Don’t use terms children won’t understand without explaining them.  If you are using a word that is not common knowledge to children, teach the term to the class.  For example, don’t just throw out the term “justified”; explain what justified means.  Use an illustration to help the children (and the adults) to better understand and appreciate what it means to be justified.  You may want to write unfamiliar terms on the board so children can see how they are spelled so that they may recognize them in the future.
• Modify your language.  Choose simple vocabulary—vocabulary with children will understand but does not insult the adults.  (i.e. use “king” or “king of Egypt” rather than “pharaoh”; use “lost” instead of “forfeited”).  You may need to make a statement to the adults and then reword it more simply for the children at times.  (Say the same thing in two different ways.)
• Encourage discussion between parents and children—For example, you may have the class look up a scripture passage and have the parents and children discuss it and then ask for a volunteer to explain what the verse means.
• Encourage the children to participate in the learning process.  At first, the children may feel intimidated.  You, the teacher, will need to put them at ease and communicate that they are a valued member of the class.  For example, you may say, “I have a question that I want all the children to think about and then raise your hand when you think you have an answer” or “I have heard the adults’ answers.  Now I would like to hear some of the children’s answers”.    Encourage children to ask questions as well.  Because children can sometimes get sidetracked, be sure you steer them back on course.  Sometimes sidetracking can be prevented by the way you preface your question, such as, “Does anyone have a question about the verse just talked about?” or “Does anyone have a question about what it means to be justified or how a person is justified?”
• Encourage the class to make personal application of the truth that was presented.  This can be done in a group (“Now what does this truth mean for us in everyday life?”), in a small discussion group (i.e. parents and children), or through a personal exercise given to the members of the class.
• You may want to give a short assignment for the week to the class that parent and children can discuss or discover together.